File Under Rookie Error

Good enough for me.

 

Gloves are for the Weak! Real reefers snorkle in their 500g reefs in only a speedo!

 

Snorkelling with a 6' bristleworm. Hmmmm
Oregonreef.com

 

Holy Bristleworms, Batman!

 

Do et

 

That's what I had sticking out of my finger.

 

Not after seeing that huge bristle worm, that thing could do some serious damage.

 

live rock, especially coral skeletons can also be as sharp as glass. I get cut up every time I move anything in my tank, and I have yet to see a bristle worm (tank is just over a month old tho).

Another thing to keep you awake is a microbacter infection. Marine environments, especially live rock, are teeming with bacteria, mostly harmless but a few can cause long term serious problems, including amputation and death in extreme cases. If your cuts start to turn purple/black or you get bright red streaks running up the length of your arms get to the ER quick. If it turns red and swells a bit and subsides in a few days you'll most likely be fine. The purple/black is necrotic flesh, and the red streaks are a sign of sepsis or blood poisoning. I know surfers who have lost muscle tissue from microbial infections, but they're pretty rare over all. Anyways, hope that helps you sleep (seriously, it's not a huge risk... but neither is palytoxin or nematocysts. )